Memorata
by kaijee
Summary: Draco blocked the car door, "I never...I will never forget that face..." His gaze softened as he raised his hands to touch the face he once knew, the face he won't ever forget. The face of the person who, without the knowledge of everyone, made him feel miserable. "Don't you remember me..." Draco started. "Don't you remember me at all...
1. Chapter 1 - Found

A/N: I conceptualized this story during bath time..It's crazy! hahahaha! I hope you guys like it and I will really appreciate your reviews ^_^

Places described are fictional, as I am not from London...I tried googling and mapping while doing this fic to provide accurate places, but, it's still really hard..sorry =(

Disclaimer: Characters in this story are owned by JK Rowling..=P

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**Chapter 1 - Found**

It was December and winter has come in London. Near Knightsbridge, the streets are almost deserted as it was covered in a feet thick of snow. Shops are closed or closing earlier than usual because of the decline of customers in afternoon. Most of the flats here were deserted anyway, as the posh occupants are all away traveling to warmer places.

Standing by the window of his apartment at One Hyde Park, the most prime flat in London and probably the whole world, a certain wizard was awakened by the continuous decreasing temperature. Pulling the blinds of the windows, he peered at the deserted streets and saw nothing but white. It hurt his eyes, the lightness of the surrounding is unfamiliar to him as he was quite new in the area. He just left the Malfoy estates a few days back, to live a more independent life from his ever demanding parents and to establish a name for himself, not only one to be recognized as a Malfoy.

"Damn, it's too cold..." Draco said as he picked up his wand on the bedside table and pointed to the fireplace across the bed. "_Incendio_", He exclaimed and the firewood were engulfed in flame.

He grabbed his fur bathrobe hanging on the recliner by the window to provide more insulation to his body. He then left his room to go to the kitchen for some coffee to warm his insides. Looking up the wall clock, it was ten past nine already. He needed to be in the office at ten.

Sipping his warm coffee, Draco went to his walk-in closet to pick what he'll wear today. The same as the whole flat, his walk-in closet was floor carpeted. The room was filled with floor length drawers, rows of clothes encircled the room and a table was in the middle of the room, with all his grooming products, hair gel and more hair gel. His clothes were color coordinated, not that it needed much coordinating, they were all in shades of black, grey, brown and dark green. He was never a white kind of person. Just too much of it made his eyes hurt, that in the extent of it all, he arranged for his apartment to be painted in grey and black hues.

In the midst of all the choices, he went for the dark green rib knit turtleneck, a black knitted scarf, black trench coat and matching black pants, as well as a pair of black leather shoes. Laying down the clothes on the table and finishing his coffee, he went to take a bath.

It has been almost 3 years since he graduated from Hogwarts and started working for the Ministry of Magic as an Auror soon after. Even after everything that happened during the dark times, after the defeat of Voldemort, he made it back to school for an extra year. Maintaining his cool demeanor but more focused on academics now rather than making a shit out of everybody. Even befriending the great Harry Potter as they call him.

Graduating at the top of his class is an achievement for him. Honestly, he wouldn't be the top of the class if it weren't for a certain Muggle girl who mysteriously disappeared after the war. He took advantage of this situation which made him who he is today, a successful auror, one of the best, along with Harry who is the current head auror, Ron and all those who were brave enough to fight for the school during the war.

Claiming a fortune for his own, he left the Malfoy manor to be independent from his parents. It took time for them to get over the war. Their manor which has always been dark and gloomy, even became more than it is. He felt trapped in his own house. He needed out, and he found it in this place. The most expensive place in the world. A place he thought was perfect for a noble like him.

Dripping wet, Draco went out of the shower and stood infront of the whole body mirror. His hair was damp and his body trickling with warm water, "I bulked up in the last few months, huh.." He mused at himself. During school, he was toned but slim, now, maybe due to the work, the fighting and training, his body grew. Not as much as Ron, but more muscular than slim, more toned and manly.

After dressing up, his hair loose without the gel, Draco took a handful of floo powder in his hand, threw it in the fireplace and shouted, "Ministry of Magic!"

"Malfoy, Harry asked me to have _you_ track this one" said Ron as he handed out the binder of paper clippings from the daily prophet and in-house files.

He flipped through the clippings and raised his left eyebrow, "He sure about _this_?" Draco asked.

"Yeah mate.." Ron replied, "..There seemed to be witnesses saying they saw him in London."

Draco sighed and leaned against his chair, "Rookwood, huh..that bastard.."

Ron grinned weakly and gave him a tap on the shoulder before leaving.

He looked through the clippings again. There are hundreds of accounts of Rookwood being seen in all parts of London. Probably, he apparates here and there, only staying in one place for a short period of time until someone takes notice of him. Surveillance images of him have been always in crowded places, blending in the mass. The last clipping of him showed of a familiar place, near his area, but not quite. It was in Brent, somewhere in Brook Road's shopping district in the northwest part of London. No wonder Harry asked him to do this assignment.

Upon agreeing to hunt down a certain wizard, Aurors can go in and out of the office to their liking, so long as they file a report of what they discover in that day and send it by owl to Harry for documentation and assessment. Picking up his things and case documents, Draco went to Harry's office to let him know he'll take Rookwood's case.

He knocked on the wooden door of Harry's office and heard "Yes, come in!"

Opening the door, Harry was almost unseen behind the pile of paperwork on his desk and Draco couldn't help but wonder why Harry even took this post in the first place. He did more paperwork than actual fighting. He knew he wanted to do more, to imprison criminals, to track down and take to custody all escaped living death eaters. Instead, he's up to his noses with all these files.

"Hey, Potter" Draco greeted and can't help but smirk at Harry's reaction as he shuffled through the documents at hand.

"Malfoy, hey..uh...what's up?" He asked.

"You look like shit, Potter"

Harry laughed, "Well, thanks for that..."

Draco snorted, "Sorry mate, just came here to say I'll take down Rookwood"

He looked up to him and smiled, "Oh, is that right? Thanks..You leaving now?"

Draco motioned to his things, "Yeah, thought I'd start early to get the job done."

"Alright" Harry replied, "Just send me an owl for anything"

"Sure mate" Draco waved farewell and left the office.

"Brent borough..." Draco skimmed through the latest clippings of Rookwood's file as he sipped a cup of coffee.

He was seated in a coffee shop inside the Brent Cross shopping center. It was in the file that Rookwood had been spotted here, mingling with Muggles. It could be that he is a changed man as was Draco, but it does not mean that his victims will not receive the justice they deserve.

Draco looked up and scanned the area, only few people have gone to the mall. Basically due to the weather, he presumed. But, unlike in Knightsbridge, Brent's population seemed densely multicutlural, somewhat like Hogwarts. He found it interesting and thought he'd explore this part of London once he finishes this case.

"Damn you, Rookwood." He said closing the case file. "Where are you hiding..."

He took his bag and files and stood up. But as he turned away from the coffee shop, he saw something overly familiar. Blinking his eyes, twice, thrice and looked again to the person who had just left the shop.

His gaze seemed permanent as he began to stalk. Draco couldn't believe his eyes. He was so near, that he can hear a conversation transpiring between the person and a mobile phone. Yes, a mobile phone. He knew that as he took Advanced Muggle Studies as one of his electives. Also, being in contact with the Muggle world for the past years due to cases, made him familiar with the different Muggle lifestyle and gadgets they use. He even got a computer at his flat as well as a mobile phone.

"..Really?" He heard the person said, "..No it's alright. Yeah...I'll see you there, bye!" Then the phone was turned off and placed inside the bag.

Following closely, he didn't realize that he was now in the parking lot.

_'Damn_..' He thought, '_It couldn't be_...'

He argued with himself as he fought the urge to come up and interrogate. But he was so close now, he even followed to the car. Draco knew that if he doesn't act now, he would regret it for all his life. If he doesn't make a move, every question that have bothered him since school will never be answered.

'_I have to...I have to do it!_' He urged his body to move. He was a meters away.

Then as he saw that the car door was open, he ran, he ran like hell and grabbed the hand holding the car door.

"Hey!" He exclaimed.

He saw shock, confusion and fear in the eyes in front of him. But he didn't let go, he won't, not now when he finally knew that he was not wrong in following this person throughout the mall.

Draco's gripped tightened and he felt the hand being pulled away out of resistance. He immediately let it go, but slammed the car door shut.

"What are you doing?! Who are you?!"

"Wha—" He was about to argue but recalled what she have just said, '_Who are you?!_' '_Who are you?!'_?

Draco's brows furrowed and he clenched his fist. "What are you talking about?" He asked, "It's me, _Malfoy_!"

"I...I...Sorry, but..I _don't_ know you.." was the reply.

_'No_..' He thought, "You're lying! How can you forget me?" He shouted.

"You must have mistook me for another person..please, let me go.."

Draco blocked the car door, "I never...I will never forget that face..." His gaze softened as he raised his hands to touch the face he once knew, the face he won't ever forget. The face of the person who, without the knowledge of everyone, made him feel miserable.

"Don't you remember me..." Draco started.

"Don't you remember me at all...

...

...

"Granger?"


	2. Chapter 2 - Sense

A/N: wuhoo~ thanks for liking the story! I feel sorry for doing that to Draco...but, every chapter will be interesting I assure you and there are more twists in the story, so please bear with me and stay tuned! ^_^

Please also visit my other fic, You were always the one =)

Disclaimer:...I do not own HP ;D

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**Chapter 2 - Sense**

Draco held her hand for as long as he could until she finally said, "Please...let me go...or..or..I'll call the police!"

She fumbled through her bag using her free hand. She was really scared and confused. However, the most confused between them must have been him.

Draco looked dumbfounded. After all these years, and she didn't recognize him...at all?

He will never forget that face, Hermione Granger, top of the class for six years in Hogwarts. Then, after the war, she suddenly disappeared without a trace. It's unimaginable! He knew that she loved magic, she loved to learn new things..loved her friends. Why now is she here, _pretending_ she didn't knew him.

'_Maybe I really got the wrong person_' He thought. But then he looked at her once more, and he could swear to Merlin that he wasn't some deluded wizard.

"I...I'll call them...I swear!" She exclaimed, the mobile phone now in her hands. "I've taken a picture of you, I can report you to the police ASAP!"

Draco was speechless, he can't risk it. Especially when he is on assignment of tracking Rookwood. He gave up and let her hand go.

She backed away from him a little. He placed his hands over his eyes and sighed heavily. "I apologize.."Draco started, "Please...just tell me _one_ thing.."

Phone still in hand, Hermione replied stuttering "..S-s-sure..um..wh-what is it?"

'_Please...please tell me I'm wrong'_ He hoped in his mind. But the thought of him being right still persisted because he'd seen her face, heard her voice...for the love of Merlin, she even has the same brown curly hair she had before after all these years! And at the same length at that!

Draco cleared his throat, and started to talk "Tell me...you're name...

..isn't...Hermione...Granger..._right_?"

He looked up at her, wanting to see her reaction if he was right. And then at that moment, he felt his heart sank in the pit of his stomach. He heard a thud and a sound of something breaking.

She stood there, a few feet away from him, as if she had been '_stupefied_'. Her hands over her mouth, the phone she was holding was on the ground, its glass pane shattered. A look of fear etched on her face. He tried to move in closer to her, but she backed away as he did.

"H-ho-how did you..."

'_Damn it, I was right! Bloody hell, I was right!_' He screamed in his mind. A grin slowly forming on his lips.

"Granger, I knew it was you" Draco said, "Stop messing with me or I'll ask Potter to come and get you."

He raised his hand to touch her, but then suddenly, he felt it being grabbed by strong arms and then he knew that he was being spun in mid-air. His body fell on the damp parking lot as it made a huge thud.

"What the—?!" He shouted as he sat up and massaged his back. Opening his eyes, he saw a pair of leather boots in front of him, '_A man's?_' He thought and looked up.

But before he even saw the face of the person who attacked him, he felt the man's fist collide with his face and he started to black out.

The last conversation he heard was,

"—Are you alright?" asked the man.

"I, I was so scared...he...knew me..." replied a sobbing Hermione.

"Bloody bastard! I should run him over!" The man yelled.

"No! Please...let's just go, before—" He heard Hermione said, before completely passing out.

Draco slowly opened his eyes as he felt a cold damp cloth over his head. He looked around, and saw that he was back in his room and lying on his bed. He tried to recall what happened at the mall. The last thing he remembered was being punched in the face and not a memory of apparating back in his flat came to mind.

Sitting up, Draco touched his face and felt the swelling on his cheeks as well as a semi-deformed nose which hurt like hell.

"Oh, Malfoy, you're awake?" He heard a high pitched voice say.

Squinting his eyes, he followed the voice and saw a familiar red headed girl in a mid length brown trench coat over a black turtle neck, plaid jeans and brown winter boots standing by the door of his room.

"..Weasley?" He asked.

It was Ginny, Ron's sister and Harry's fiance that was at his flat, holding a basin with warm water and towel on it. She walked towards him and sat on a nearby chair.

"What are you doing here?" He asked again, feeling his nose hurt even more as he talk.

"Harry sent me..He tried to talk to you through '_Legilememcy_'" she explained, "he was worried that you've encountered Rookwood when you weren't responding to his thoughts..

..and then I looked for you here, but you weren't home..So I asked the Department of Magical Transportation if they can track where you last apparated"

..and they told me that you went to Brent shopping center. Then, I found you there...I thought you were dead, the first time I saw your body sprawled on the ground. I immediately informed Harry and got you here." She said.

"..._And_?" He asked persistently, he wanted to make sure first before revealing what he had discovered.

Ginny looked at him, confused. "And..._What_, Malfoy?" she asked.

"I mean...did you not see who I was with?" Draco edged her.

She raised her eyebrow and said sarcastically, "Haven't you been listening? I said, I saw you, sprawled on the ground, is there anything along those line that have indicated I've seen someone else?"

Draco groaned and collapsed himself on the bed, "Can't you just give me straight answers?" He said, "Merlin..I don't know what Potter sees in you, you're such a pain in the—"

"—Shut it, Malfoy, or I'll break your nose thoroughly!" She yelled at him while pointing her wand.

Then as they were arguing, a loud crack resonated in the living room and Harry and Ron appeared.

"Hey, hey..What is the commotion all about?" Harry asked smiling as he stepped in the room. He was in a black leather jacket over a blue plaid polo shirt and grey vest, black faded jeans, black leather hunting boots and a red muffler around his neck.

Ron followed him in the usual body length brown trench coat, red knitted turtle neck sweater, brown corduroy pants, sneakers and a grey aviator hat lined with fur. "You aren't bullying my little sister, are you, Malfoy?" Ron said, grinning.

Draco groaned once more, "Can you lot first fix my nose, before I explain everything?" He said. "And, she's the one bullying me!"

Without hesitation and as Ginny already had her wand raised, she exclaimed "_Episkey_!"

He rolled on the bed, writhing in pain as he felt the bridge of his nose straighten to its original shape. He held it for as long as he could until the pain had stop. "Bloody hell, Weasley! Can't you give a warning before doing that?!" He said.

Ginny smirked at what she did and stuck her tongue out to him in contempt. Draco sneered at her when he sat up, still trying to recover from the pain in his nose, while Harry and Ron were laughing at the situation.

"Alright, alright..get out you lot, I'll see you in the living room." He motioned for them to move as he slid off his bed. Draco was still in his clothes, all muddy and wet. 'Damn Weaslette, she didn't even fixed my clothes!' He thought.

He immediately went in the shower to freshen up a bit and slipped into his grey shirt and sweatpants he usually wears to sleep. While doing so, he contemplated if he should discuss the meeting Granger in Brent with her supposedly, 'friends'. A thought crept to his mind, 'what if they already knew?', even so, what's the reason behind it? Draco sighed heavily as he buried his face in his hands.

"What the hell, Granger...what are you up to?"

Stepping outside of his room, the trio were now seated comfortably on his black leather couch in front of the fireplace. They helped themselves with coffee as Draco was freshening up. He sat across Harry.

"So...What happened?" Harry asked, "Who attacked you?"

Ginny handed out a cup of coffee to Draco and he smiled in thanks. "It wasn't Rookwood" He replied to Harry.

"Who was it then?" Ron asked.

Draco looked into his cup very intently. He knew Hermione and Ron had something in the past, maybe he knows about her disappearance from the wizarding world. He looked for words as he tried to make up the right sentences, for them to think he is not making this all up. But he just can't think straight now when all that keeps popping up in his mind is Hermiome's fearful face and an unknown man.

'Alright..I'll just breeze through it..' He prepared for the worst, pacing his breath while he looked to each of them.

"Merlin, Malfoy..What's the holdup ab—" Ginny was about to protest when he cut her.

"Granger!" he exclaimed, "I saw Granger!"

For a moment, everyone was silent. Ron's expression was in no mistake full of shock that all his blood drained from his face. Ginny was blank as she stared at the fireplace as if there were something amusing about it. Harry was pensive and looked straight into Draco's eyes. His stare was unwavering and Draco can't help but think that he is up to something. Harry cleared his throat and sipped the coffee from his cup, placed it down again on the glass table and crossed his legs as he placed his arms over his chest.

"You must've been mistaken, Draco" He replied, "We haven't seen Hermione in...ages!"

'I won't buy that.' Draco was furious, obviously, Harry's trying to cover up something. Ron looked to be of no help in this situation and Ginny was just as non-complacent as Harry.

"But..Harry!" Ron started to say as he grabbed a hold of Harry's shoulders "Malfoy says he saw Hermione! He can't be wrong about that!"

"Ronald, in this world, one can simply have a look-a-like" Ginny argued.

"But no one knows where she'd gone!" He shouted back, "Maybe...maybe he's right..maybe Hermione's in Brent!"

'Thank goodness, I have an ally here!' Draco cheered in his mind.

"It's getting late" Harry looked to his watch and motioned for Ginny to get up, "Gin and I will head out first. Ron, you?"

Face buried in his hands, Ron replied, "I'll go back to my flat in a few..."

Harry glanced to Draco and waved goodbye, "See you tomorrow, mate" then he and Ginny disapparated from his flat with a loud crack.

Draco was really annoyed that Harry didn't believe him, he was her friend wasn't he? They're like siblings for crying out loud. He looked to Ron, the big man he is now, sobbing like a child. It greatly pissed him off. Pinching his nose, he closed his eyes and tilted his head, resting it on the back of the couch.

Ron inhaled deeply and stood up. "I'll go now" he said and disapparated as well before Draco could say anything, leaving him to ponder with his thoughts alone.

Draco stared at his flat's ceiling, he felt exhausted.

"If Potter won't believe me and so is his blasted girlfriend, a hysterical best friend won't do either...Then I...I will find out about Granger's secret on my own" He vowed to himself. "I will find her again..."

However, unbeknownst to them, a dark figure has already visited Brent Borough and has started his ominous plot for revenge.


	3. Chapter 3 - Help

A/N: Thanks for liking this fic ^_^, I'm liking this story more and more too you guys and that's why, I'm updating it very fast ^_^

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that the characters depicted in this story are not mine =)

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**Chapter 3 - Help**

"Are you alright Hermione?"

"Yeah...still shaken up is all.." Hermione said "..by the way..Caleb, have you eaten breakfast?"

He shook his head in reply moving closer to her as they sat on the velvet couch in the living room. Caleb kissed Hermione's forehead and embraced her tightly.

"It's been a few days..why don't you go out?" He asked.

More than a few days, it has been exactly a week since she encountered Draco in the parking lot of Brent shopping center. Hermione took a leave from work and holed herself up in her one bedroom flat in Brook road, Dollis hill. Passing the days by reading and re-reading her favorite books.

She snuggled to him more closely and said, "I just...I'm scared..what if I see him again..?"

Caleb smirked, reassuring her that he'd punch him again if that happens. Hermione laughed and replied, "Stop that..he seriously got hurt!"

"Why? He deserved it..who the hell is he anyway?" He asked, "You're ex?"

She laughed again at her question, "Are you crazy? Maybe I did have exes, but not ones from London!"

"Yeah, yeah...about that" He hesitated, but pursued in asking her anyway, "..can't you tell me more about your life in Australia?

..I mean..no friend of yours knows what you did there, and as _your_ fiance, I think we ought to talk about it some time" He said.

Hermione let go and embraced the couch pillow instead. She sighed and buried her face on it as she mumbled.

"What? I didn't catch that" Caleb said.

"I said...I don't really want to talk about it" she retorted, "also, I have little memory of the time I spent there, so just let it go..okay?"

Caleb looked a little hurt that her own fiance would not tell him about her. He would like to at least know more about her past, seeing that they have been engaged for 6 months now and to be wedded in June. It won't hurt to know your future wife's past right?

Sensing this, Hermione looked to him and smiled weakly "Hey..I'm sorry..it's just..I _can't_.."

"..It's nerve wracking..you know" he said, "to not know about your past...and that guy! He said he'd _known_ you!"

The fear in Hermione's eyes returned. Indeed Draco has in fact, disclosed to her that she knows him and had just forgotten about him. He even said something about having a friend called Potter.

"He mentioned another guy's name..." Caleb stated, "...what was it again...hmm..Peter?..Pierce ..?"

"Potter.." she corrected him.

"Is that a surname or a first name?" He asked, "because if it's a name, then it's a bloody crazy one."

This made her laugh again, he loved that about him. That even though they were in a fight, he always has a knack for making her laugh, he always had the longest patience and a fast turn around when it comes to arguments.

"Stop making a joke out of _his_ name...or _her_ name!" He nudged him.

"Sorry, sorry...It's just that, it's really kind of funny." He replied. "Oh, would you look at the time." They turned to the wall clock in the kitchen wall, the time read past 11 am. "I better be leaving or my sister's going to have a fit if I don't pick up the things she'd ask me to buy..ugh, such a pain." He groaned as he stood up.

"Call me when you get home okay?" Hermione said. Caleb smiled and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead before he left.

She lingered her eyes on him as he walked to his car which was parked in front of the flat, sighing as she felt a prickling pain in her heart. Hermione felt bad for keeping him in the dark. But she doesn't want to talk what had happened to her back in Australia to anyone. And she herself doesn't even know exactly how her life was before she left there.

Standing up, Hermione went inside of her room and locked the door. The room was big but has only practical furnitures in it. Her queen sized bed was near the window, adjacent to a lounge chair and wardrobe cabinet. She had a couple of drawers beside her bed, one for her lamp and books and another for her keepsakes. On top of it were pictures of her and Caleb from their first through the second year of their relationship. Next to it were pictures of her and her parents who have stayed in Australia for good.

She stopped to gaze on it for a minute, "I miss you both..." she said as she hugged the picture frame before returning it.

Over to the lamp table where the books she reads were, was a small golden key with a ball chain. She took it in her hands and went to her bed.

Sitting on top of the bed, she pulled the dark blue covers away, thrown the pillows aside and folded a third of the mattress, revealing a small 12x12 inches box contraption within the bed frame. Hermione installed this contraption for safety keeping of her most valued items and even Caleb doesn't know of it. Probably because she never really allowed him to go inside her room.

Hermione traced the shape of the key hole with her fingers and took a deep breath. She inserted the golden key into the hole and turned it to the left until she heard a soft clicking sound. Hermione closed her eyes before opening the box.

"I can do this..." she said to herself. This isn't the first time she is opening the box, but it has been a very long time since she did. The very first time she saw its contents were when they were given to her by her parents before she left for London.

Opening her eyes, she lifted the box lid until where the hinge stopped. Inside of the box were small boxes, books, papers, inks and quills. On the upper right of the box was a red and yellow striped scarf, folded neatly to reveal some sort of an emblem. A golden medal with four sections, each with an animal. A lion on the upper left on red background, a silver serpent on a green background on the upper right, a badger on a yellow background for the lower left, a golden eagle on a blue background on the lower right and joining them is a black capital '_H_' in middle.

Hermione pressed the fabric and felt its softness against her palms. "I wonder where my parents bought you..." she took it and held it over her chest. It made her feel warm..._complete_. She placed it beside her as she thought to make use of it since it's winter season.

The books, however, she couldn't make out the markings as they were all faded due to time. Hermione decided to take the thickest one out of the box. Turning it sideways, the only letters left on the spine were: '_Ho-r-s, - -i-ry'._

The book was somewhat moldy and difficult to open as the pages started to stick together. However, as she held it, a small spider came crawling on her hand and threw the book with the spider across the room to her surprise. Dusting off her hands, she closed the box lid and rearranged her bed.

Hermione went over to the now opened book and noticed a paper sticking out of it. It was folded and have clearly been there for ages as its edges were already darkened to a brown color and brittle. Sitting down the wooden floor, she took it out and closed the book.

She flipped over the note and found her name written on it in a beautiful calligraphy. Upon realization, her heart raced and her body trembled.

Careful not to tear the fragile paper, Hermione unfolded it, as she read the first lines, she felt her breath leave her, the beating of her heart somehow stopped.

_'I miss you..Hermione...  
I'm tired...It's suffocating...'_

She held her hand over her lips to try to stifle the sob that was beginning to crawl its way out of her. "What is _this_...?" she asked, "_Who_ wrote this..?"

A tear rolled down her face and she quickly folded the paper and inserted it back in the first pages of the book. Hermione looked at it for a while. There were thousands of questions she wanted to ask, questions even her parents, after giving these to her, weren't able to answer. All this time, she felt an emptiness in her heart. The pain she tried to bury when she had met Caleb came surfacing again. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how long she thought of it, her years in Australia was but only a fraction of a memory. Like she had skipped eight years of her life. In her heart she knew something was missing, there was a longing even Caleb can't give her.

Hermione rocked back and forth on the floor, weeping as the feelings she tried to forget keep rushing back to her.

"Please...anyone..."

She sniffed

"...Help me..._please_..."


	4. Chapter 4 - Denial

A/N: I'm so thrilled reading your reviews, please do send more, it really lifts the author's spirits ;)

BTW, I changed the category from Romance/Drama to Suspense/Drama, but don't worry, there will be love in the air ;)

Disclaimer: I own only the new characters and the story

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**Chapter 3 - Denial**

12 Grimauld place was covered with the scent of cinnamon as Ginny was baking a couple of cinnamon buns in the oven for their brunch. Harry was seated on a couch near the fireplace, reading the latest issue of the daily prophet.

The couple had renovated the place soon after Harry got the position of Head Auror and decided that it was time that they moved in together. The flat was repainted in light hues of beige, peach and cream. Old couches were replaced by modern leather ones. Cook wares were also upgraded as Ginny seemed to love making their food. The grand piano in the sitting room was also repaired. However, the portrait of Sirius' mother still hang on the wall of the house due to it being casted a permanent sticking charm. All Harry can do about it's continuous shrieking was put a permanent silencing spell on it as well as a permanent sleeping charm.

Kreacher was all against it, however, he reassured him that it would be best to put Walburga Black in that state to create peace in the home and for her as well. He added that the idea of silencing her wouldn't mean that he's completely against her, but was just trying to help her rest her vocal chords. The old house elf bought it, since the war, he had become loyal to Harry due to his earnest belief in defending house elves.

"Harry, it's done!" Ginny called out from the kitchen.

He folded the newspaper and placed it on the table. "Yes, coming!" He replied as he walked to the dining room. "Kreacher, let's eat!" He called out.

The house elf apparated in the dining room and sat on his high chair Harry specially devised for him. He gave Harry a cinnamon bun on his plate, "Thank you master, but master Harry need to eat first before Kreacher." The elf smiled as he hopped back to his chair.

"Thanks Kreacher" Harry replied, "Gin, could you pass the jam?"

Ginny laughed as she passed the jam, "You're so weird, Harry. I've never seen anyone eat a cinnamon bun with jam."

"Well...I just like it like that" He said.

The three ate silently until Kreacher stood and asked to be dismissed for he have other chores to do.

Ginny looked up to Harry with a serious look on her face and said, "Hey...can we talk?"

"What is it?" He turned to her and replying nonchalantly.

She placed her fork down and leaned on the table, "..about...what Malfoy said last week.." she said.

Harry sighed and stopped eating as well. "I _told_ you..It _can't_ be her." he replied, frustrated at the thought that Ginny kept asking about the same topic for the past week. And Ginny too was upset that Harry won't talk about it with her.

"I mean..If it is Malfoy, he _would_ be sure right?" She edged on, "Come on, Harry. Wouldn't you be happy to see her?"

Harry's eyes narrowed and looked to her angrily, "This is the end of _this_ topic, Gin." He stood up and turned his back on her, "Hermione is gone, and she will _never_ come back!"

"Harry—!" She stood up as well but hesitated on following him and returned to her seat again.

She was confused, it may not seem like that before when Draco first informed them that he saw Hermione. Yes she was shocked but not enough so as to react like her brother. She was more hopeful than surprised that the thought of Hermione turning up in London would mean they would be able to talk again, that they could bring back the old times.

But how is it possible that Harry is not overjoyed by this news and kept denying the fact or the possibility of Malfoy seeing her. He was her friend, wasn't he? They were like brother and sister.

Ginny pinched her eyes in deep thought and realized what she must do in order to find out the truth.

"Kreacher?" She call out, and the house elf apparated in front of her within seconds, "Would you be so kind as to clean this up? I need to go somewhere as soon as possible" She said.

"Kreacher will do as what master Harry's fiance asks, Kreacher will." He replied and started cleaning the table.

Ginny gathered her things and thanked Kreacher before disapparating from Grimauld Place.

##############

"_Ronald_!" Molly yelled at her son. "Your father told me you've not been going to work for a week now!"

Ron covered his ears as his mother kept shouting at him in his flat's living room. She was enraged that her son is lazying around his flat this whole time while there are still many dark wizards at large.

"I _was_ sick.." He lied and tried to avert her eyes.

"In no way you are sick!" She yelled in reply.

Ron looked tired and failed to respond to his mother's protest. He slumped his body on his couch and raised his forearm over his eyes. He really wasn't sick. He just had a lot to think about for the past few days since Malfoy broke the news to them.

For a moment, he couldn't hear his mother's yelling. He imagined Hermione in London like she was before. Happy, confident and overly smart. He missed her. He still loved her even though their relationship suddenly ended a few months after the war and he never saw her again. Until Malfoy mentioned seeing her in Brent. He thought he had forgotten about her and was able to move on. Instead, here he is again, mulling over her to what might have been hadn't she disappear.

He sighed and stood up, completely ignoring his raging mother as he disapparated from his flat, leaving her dumbfounded that her son left her without a word.

##############

There were two loud cracks as Ron and Ginny apparated in the dimly lit living room of Draco's flat. They looked to each other, confused to why they both arrived just seconds from one another.

"What are _you_ doing here?!" The asked in unison.

"I asked _you_ first!" They both exclaimed again.

Ginny looked infuriated, Ron was irritated.

"Let me ask you again, Ronald" Ginny said first, "What are you doing in Malfoy's place."

He smirked at her sister, "I could ask the same thing to you, I was here first!"

"I came to talk to him about Hermione, I presume you did so too" She replied smugly.

Clearly the siblings have the same thing in mind and was preoccupied by the same thought this whole week. But looking at their surrounding, it was surprising that Draco hadn't come out of his room yelling at them for just barging in his flat.

Ginny went over to his room to check, however, found nothing.

"Malfoy!" Ron shouted. "We're here, sorry for intruding!"

Ginny went over him and kicked his shin, "Shush, Ron!" She exclaimed, "He isn't here!"

Ron knelt down and massaged his shin as a jolt of electricity caved in due to Ginny's kick. "What the bloody hell, Gin!"

"He must have looked for Hermione..." Ginny thought aloud.

"...In Brent..?" Ron continued.

"..Possibly..."

Without hesitation, the two disapparated from One Hyde Park to Brent borough.

##############

Draco traversed the snow covered streets of Brent borough since that morning of Saturday looking to find Hermione. He had been doing so for the past week now as he also looked for traces of magic from Rookwood. He sent Harry reports at the end of each day and continued on his personal mission.

He looked for her in the library, book shops, shopping center and even the park, but to no avail. The weather was also not cooperating as it became colder and colder in the afternoon. His thick tench coat, sweater, jeans and winter boots were no match for the weather. He insisted on not using magic to keep himself warm. He need Hermione to not get suspicious again if he met her.

Seeing it more difficult to move as he felt his insides freezing, he decided to apparate back to Brent shopping center.

He entered a Starbucks coffee shop and ordered a cafe americano and a roasted vegetable panini. He had not thought of hunger until he went in the shop. Thinking back on it, he was so intent on finding Hermione that he skipped breakfast and lunch altogether. He looked to the wall clock on shop wall and it read past 2 in the afternoon. He paid his bill and waited at the claiming area for his drink and meal.

"For Mr. Malfoy!" called the barista.

At the same moment that he acknowledged the call, he heard a gasp behind him and he immediately turned to look at who it was.

And she was there, wearing a dark blue trench coat, its hood inlaid with fur, black leggings and a knee high black suede boot with fur. She had a matching dark green woolen muffler and beanie on her and her hair was braided on onr side. She had her hands over her mouth the moment she gasped upon hearing the name Malfoy.

He was as perplexed as she was that all she could say was, "Hermione..."

"For Hermione!" The barista called. And that left no doubt in Draco's mind that she was facing Granger once more, that given the confusion and fear from her face, he knew she had been the one he met before.

Draco looked at her as she took a deep breath and retrieved her order from the claiming area. He was amazed that she turned and stopped in front of him and said,

"...um...you..can..can we talk?"

He was at a total loss for words. '_She really asked me, right?_' he asked himself, still can't comprehend what is currently happening before his eyes. He watched her take a seat on a couch by the window and placed her tray down the table. He soon followed suit after a much deliberation with himself.

"..Uh..hey..." He greeted as he placed his tray down.

"..um..Malfoy..._right?_" Hermione asked, "It's what you said your name was last week.."

He nodded in response, still baffled.

"Um..." Hermione started while grabbing her caramel macchiato. "..You said before..that you _know_ me.."

Draco plastered a nervous smile on his face, "Yeah..I did.." He replied, "Have you remembered me now?"

Hermione shook her head, looked down to her mug and sipped a little bit of the coffee, "..Firstly..I want to apologize for what Caleb—_my fiance_ did to you last time.."

Draco felt a his insides tighten as he heard the word _fiance_. His smile also was replaced by a sudden jaw drop which he immediately controlled as he bit his lower lip. '_Fiance my ass..._' He thought, '_Granger, with..with that man?!'_

"..I tried to stop him...I'm sorry...secondly..I apologize for threatening you..I...I actually wasn't able to capture your photo that time..." She continued and looked up to him.

Once again, he plastered the nervous smile on his face and said, "No..it's alright. It was my fault for frightening you."

She smiled weakly and he felt his insides tighten more.

"..lastly...I..I don't know how to say this.." She set her mug down and moved her hands over his.

Her hand was warm due to the coffee but he felt himself shiver at the feel of her skin against him.

"..I..I need _your_ help Mr. Malfoy.." She said to him intently.

However, outside of the coffee shop. Ron and Ginny were glued to the ground they were standing on as the scenes unfolded in front of them.

"T-That's Malfoy, right?" Ron asked stuttering.

Ginny tightened her grip on the arm of her brother and gasped, "Ron..._It's Hermione!_"


	5. Chapter 5 - Uncover

A/N: Thank you for the correction to 'Grimmauld place', sorry for overlooking it =(. Again, thank you for the wonderful comments, I had a lof of fun reading them and thanks for following the story too =) I think I kinda have knack for writing suspense fics.. You guys don't know how much I want to spill every bean already hahahaha

Disclaimer: Not owning HP

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**Chapter 5 - Uncover**

"So..will you help me?" Hermione repeated as Draco gathered his thoughts for a second.

'_Is this for real?_' He mused, slightly surprised by her request.

"You said, you knew me...I—"

"Hermione!"

They heard someone shout. Draco looked to who it was but Ginny already was hugging Hermione in just mere seconds from her outburst as she came dashing from the entryway.

"Merlin, it's so good to see _you_ again" She exclaimed happily, "When Malfoy here said he'd seen you, we were all shocked, but then we couldn't believe it unless we've seen you first hand. Then we came here and here you are!"

Draco rolled his eyes as he witness Ginny going on and on and on about how excited she was to see Hermione.

"Ron, it's really her! It's really _her!_" She turned to her brother who was left standing by the door, his jaw in full drop. He was frozen.

Draco looked to Hermione which was smiling half-heartedly to this stranger who just hugged her and can't help but to pity her. She was surrounded by her friends (him exempted), however, the sad thing is, she doesn't remember them.

"Weasley, let go of her" Draco urged, helping Hermione have a breather. Ginny pouted and went to get her brother, pulled out two seats for them and joined the table.

Ron in his dumb look, turned to Hermione and grabbed her hand. "Is—is it _really_ you, Hermione?" He asked.

She quickly recovered it and clasped her hands, "Um..ye-yes.." She stuttered, "...and..I presume...you.." She looked to Draco, who nodded as their thoughts seemed to coincide, "..were my friends..?"

Ginny laughed, "What do you mean, '_were_'?" she asked suspiciously, "we _are_ your friends!"

"Weasley..." Draco motioned for her to stop talking.

The siblings looked to him angrily, like he shouldn't be there celebrating with them.

He raised an eyebrow at them, irritated. "Fine, have it your way with her then."

But as he stood up, Hermione immediately grabbed a hold of his hand and said hysterically, "Wait! Please, Mr. Malfoy, we _still_ need to talk!"

"_Mr. Malfoy?!"_ Ron and Ginny exclaimed at the same time.

Ginny laughed nervously, "Since when did you call Malfoy, Mr. Malfoy.." she said, "He _isn't_ Lucius."

Ron didn't seem to take it as a joke like she did. "Hermione...Me...who am I to you?" He asked her, his body trembling.

Once more, Hermione looked to Draco for answers which left him no choice but to sit down again. "Ronald Weasley, he was _your_ ex-boyfriend" He said to her, "and that girl pestering you is his sister, Ginny."

Ginny and Ron made no comment on how Draco presented them to Hermione, considering how shocked and confused they were by the sudden need for an introduction.

"It's probably temporary that she forgot us" Ginny said smiling as she waved off the heavy facts again, Ron however, was left dumbfounded again, "We should take her to St. Mungo's."

"Great thinking, Weaslette." Draco smirked, "and what? Have them _force_ the memory out of her?"

The sudden realization of what Draco said wiped the smile from Ginny's face. Taking Hermione to St. Mungo's to get her memories back would mean, torturing her to retrieve it, there was no other way. The deeper her memories are locked, the greater the pain needed to release it, and they wouldn't want Hermione to experience that.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked when the three of them fell silent and spaced out.

"This won't do!" Ron suddenly exclaimed, "This won't do, Malfoy! Whatever the cost is, she needs her memory back!" He looked to his sister hysterically, "Come on, we have to!"

###############

Day was turning to dusk when Harry woke up from his nap after his fight with Ginny. He took his glasses from the bedside table and stepped out of their room. He felt sad having to argue with her, but he had no choice as she kept on insisting him to talk.

"Gin?" He called out to her from the dimly lit hallway, "Gin?" He tried again, still no answer. He tried for Kreacher then there was a loud crack beside him.

"Master called Kreacher? What can Kreacher do for Master?" The elf said.

"Have you seen Ginny?" He asked him looking puzzled at her disappearance.

"Mistress have gone somewhere, Mistress did not tell," was the elf's reply.

Harry narrowed his eyes while the idea of Ginny digging for answers surfaced in his mind. Thanking Kreacher, her returned to their room and went over to his bedside drawer. He opened it and reversed a concealment charm he placed on the drawer. From a simple empty drawer, it revealed a single golden key.

"..Even if you grill me for answers..." Harry mumbled to himself as he took out the key and closed the drawer. He grabbed his coat and boots and went out the room.

"Kreacher, master will go out" Then before Kreacher apparated to wave his master farewell, Harry disapparated from 12 Grimmauld Place, to the streets of Diagon Alley.

The streets were the same as any in London, covered in snow, footprints from shop to shop, but only few wizards and witches were on the streets, checking shop items from the windows. A thick carpet of white covered the roofs as the snow continued to fall.

Harry tugged his coat closely to his body as he made his way to the north side of the alley. He made courteous gestures to his fellow magic people until he made it in front of a snow-white multi-storied building in the middle of the street, its pillars crooked, however maintained a perfectly balanced foundation. He made his way inside Gringotts and immediately felt the temperature of the environment rise.

Reaching the end of the main hall, Harry looked up to the goblin scribbling on a piece of parchment atop the table. He cleared his throat to make his appearance known to the busy goblin. It flicked its eyes up and looked down on him.

"Mr. Potter, what can I do for you?" it asked.

"I wish to visit vault 659" Harry replied.

"Very well" The goblin replied while gesturing for one of his kinsmen to move forward.

"Follow me, Mr. Potter" The other goblin said.

Harry followed the goblin to the vault entrance. Entering the little cart used to go down the vaults, Harry firmed his grip on the side rails as it sped down the winding tracks until they reached vault 659.

"Key please," It asked and Harry gave him the golden key. The goblin opened the vault and gestured for Harry to go inside as it guarded the door.

Inside the room were tons of books, heaps of wizarding money and uniforms. However, Harry did not care for all of that. His visit was made solely for the purpose of retrieving two things, a wand and a letter. These, he immediately located in the middle of the room, above a table of books. He took them in his pocket and went out of the vault.

###############

"Don't you suppose we should first discuss this matter to Harry?" Ginny asked her brother after his hysteria a few minutes ago.

"Harry?" Hermione asked to Draco.

"Harry Potter.." he replied giving her a weak smile.

'_Oh..so Potter's a he_' She thought, placing a mental note in her mind to tell Caleb he was wrong.

"Gin..you've said it yourself.." Ron replied, not so stoked about the idea of asking Harry for help, considering that he bailed out on them on trying to find Hermione. "He denies the fact that she's possibly here. Why should we give him any update?"

"Because _he's_ also _her_ friend!" Ginny said raising her voice.

Draco cleared his throat and raised his eyebrow at the sibling who kept bickering with each other. "Can you two be quiet? How can you even decide for her?"

"Malfoy? Because she—"

He caught her off, "—even if she is not in her _own_ mind, she still has a mind of _her_ own. Let us make her decide what she'd like to do" Draco smiled at Hermione.

She smiled back at him. Hermione was thankful that he cared about how she feels. Having all these thrown at her is already quite confusing. The Weasleys aren't helping her either by forcing her to do this and that.

"..in my flat..I..I want you to tell me what it is that I've found." Hermione said, "It's really what I want to ask you about, Mr. Malfoy."

"Draco...Draco is fine" He said, as he felt a hard lump in his throat.

The siblings didn't mind him asking her to call him by his name, whichever is fine, they thought. She doesn't remember him anyway.

"Let's go," Hermione said to the three of them while standing up. They followed her to the parking lot and rode on her car to her flat.


	6. Chapter 6 - Mementos

Memorata - Chapter 6

A/N: Again, I can't thank you guys enough for the wonderful reviews and comments =) I like to keep the suspense coming until I unveil all the juicy stuff, so stay tuned for more more twists =)

Disclaimer: Characters not mine

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**Chapter 6 - Mementos**

"Wow..." Ron exclaimed, "It's amazing you know how to drive now Hermione." Ginny laughed at her brother for being so simple minded, Draco gave Hermione a weak smile.

Draco was in the passenger's seat while the siblings were at the back. They were on their way to her flat after Hermione had asked them for help. The snow was falling heavily now as dusk came. Luckily for them, her flat was close by.

"Thanks..um, I've just learned last year." She replied to Ron.

"Cool," He said "But we could have just _apparated_, it's quicker that way."

Draco rolled his eyes, "Not this again, Weasley.."

Hermione looked to Ron through the rear mirror and smiled, "No, it's alright...What's _that_ by the way?"

"It's like teleportation, from a Muggle's point of view." Draco explained to her a matter of factly. "This is crazy...I still can't believe I'm actually lecturing the brightest witch of our time.." He mumbled to himself, but still loud enough for everyone in the car to hear. But no one commented, it was saddening and just unbelievable that Hermione can't remember anything about being a witch.

"We're here." She said breaking the silence.

Hermione parked the car in front of the flat and all of them went out.

"Wow...not bad Hermione..." Ginny said while scrutinizing the house. It was modern looking with its white panelled walls and snow covered lawn. The black from the window pane was a nice contrast to the white. "It's prettier than Malfoy's place." She added.

"My place was _not_ meant to be pretty, Weaslette." Draco retorted. He was more into the privacy of the place than its design.

"Um...let's go inside.." Hermione urged them for fear of freezing outside and to avert the neighbors' curious stares.

Inside the house, she asked them to sit by the living room while she made tea. Looking around the interior, Draco couldn't help but be disappointed. There were no traces of the wizarding world whatsoever and what made him more irritated was what he saw on the walls.

"Who in the bloody hell is _that?_" Ron asked, clearly they were both thinking the same thing.

"That's Caleb," Hermione said upon arriving with a tray of teacups and pot. She served them sweets and offered if she can do more for them.

"Who's Caleb, Hermione?" Ginny asked while drinking her tea.

Hermione looked down and smiled, "He's..my fiance.."

Upon hearing the word _fiance_, Ron almost choked on his food and Ginny was about to spurt her tea. Draco held it in well, considering he already knew that, but was for the most part, he was irritated as well.

"No way..." Ginny couldn't believe it, she looked to her brother's stunned expression, "Where did you two meet?" she asked.

"Um..." Hermione gathered her thoughts before answering. It was still difficult for her to trust them with so much information, seeing as that for her, they've only just met. "I think it was from when I got back here...from Australia..um..2 years ago."

"Bloody hell, you _went_ to Australia?!" Ron exclaimed, finally coming back to his senses.

"Yes..He was...the first person I talked to upon returning..." She continued "He approached me first..then we started going out." She giggled while reminiscing her first memories with Caleb.

Ron kicked Ginny for even asking about him and Draco was trying to block every word she said from entering his mind. "Alright, let's leave it at that" He said while putting down his cup, "Why did you ask us to come here?" He then asked Hermione.

She braced herself and looked to each of them with desperation on her face. "I've got this...things..." she started to explain, "I've got them from my parents...it was very strange...they didn't say what it was for or where it came from..." She stood up and said, "Come, I'll show you.."

Hermione motioned for them to follow her to her room. The trio looked anxious and flustered at the same time but had no choice at the moment but to follow her inside.

Right as they entered the room, the trio immediately spotted the red and yellow Gryffindor scarf laid out on the bed. Ginny ran for it and held it, "Merlin, Hermione, you still have _this!_" She exclaimed happily and looked to Malfoy, "See, see! She has _our_ scarf!"

Hermione walked towards her and pointed at the emblem on the edge of the scarf, "What is that?" she asked her.

"This was our house, Gryffindor!" Ginny replied, "You were with us, with Ron, Harry, Dean, Seamus and Neville."

Hermione turned to Malfoy with a puzzled look on her face, "How about you?" she asked.

"He was a Slytherin." Ron answered. Draco raised his eyebrow that he answered for him. "He _bullied_ you."

"Oh shut it, Weasley." He said while pushing Ron aside, "It was the past, and I did stop the bullying in the seventh year."

"Yeah..." Ginny said, "Because you were preoccupied with other _evil_ things, right?" She mocked him.

"Whatever, that's done." He waved his hand to brush off the matter, "I helped rebuilt the school afterwards."

Hermione cleared her throat as she was once again, lost in the trio's arguments. They gave her an apologetic look and urged her to continue on.

She took out a box under her bed. The same box she removed from within the bed a few hours ago. The book she threw before was on top of it. "Sorry, I have no couches here, but..please..I think it's better if we sit on the floor and make a circle." She asked them.

They sat in a circle in the following order; Hermione, Ginny, Draco and Ron. She placed the box in the middle and grabbed the book first to show them. "This book..I don't know what it is..I didn't try to open it."

Ginny asked for the book and examined the spine. She furrowed her eyebrows to try to remember what book it was. However, only to give up and handed it to her brother for assessment. Ron did the same, but plastered a wide smile on his face when he looked up to Hermione. "This was you first book, I remember this!" He said, "You were always like, '_I've read about those at Hogwarts: A History, Chapter blah blah blah_'."

Draco laughed with him, "Yeah, the know it all..."

Hermione smiled weakly, she felt that finally her memories are being uncovered one by one by these unfamiliar but surprisingly _familiar_ people to her. It was an indescribable feeling, like she knew them before. Her body and soul knew them and felt light and happy with them. But her mind won't follow through, there was a void that didn't match with her actions and feelings, and it made her sad and disappointed with herself.

She opened the box to reveal a few sets of books and parchment papers, quills, small boxes and other stuff she couldn't describe. Each of them took one and examined the items.

"This is...your assignments?" Ron rolled out a foot long of parchment paper and read an unfinished potions essay.

Ginny took out a small maroon pull string bag, "I know this!"

"Oh! Hermione's extendable bag!" Ron exclaimed at his sister.

"Extendable _what?"_ Hermione asked.

Ginny pulled the bag open and inserted her full arm in it which made Hermione shriek in surprise. "Got one!" She said while taking out a flask containing white liquid. "What potion is this?" Ron shrugged and looked to Draco.

"I don't know. Put it back." Draco said and opened the box he got for himself. His eyes widened as he saw what was inside the box that he immediately closed it and returned it with the pile.

"What's that?" Hermione asked upon seeing him return the item.

"Nothing.." He replied nonchalantly, "Just some pins and brooches. Oh, what is _that_?" He suddenly said, obviously trying to change the subject. He pointed to the paper jutting out of the Hogwarts: A History text book and wished he had never did.

"Um!" Hermione leaned forward immediately to grab the paper and ended up falling over Draco. Their faces inches apart. She felt her face heating up as she looked into Draco's grey eyes. He too was silent and just stared at her, gripping her by her waist.

"Hey, hey! That's enough staring!" Ron stood and pulled Hermione up.

"Sorry.." She said flustered while holding the paper. They both averted their eyes in embarrassment.

"What's that Hermione?" Ginny asked pointing at the folded paper in her hands.

"Uh...this.." She started, "I don't actually know who it came from..but...the words seemed, _intimate_."

Ginny looked to Ron for answers and smiled, "Was is a _love letter_ from you, Ron?"

"Wha— no! I haven't sent her any letter!" He defended himself as his ears reddened. "But..who was it that gave you that?" He raised his eyebrow, "I know I was your only boyfriend during your time in school..."

Ginny also wondered who might be the sender of the letter, "Maybe if you tell us what is inside, then, we'll be able to know..."

Hermione hesitated for a bit, however, she was so eager in decrypting her past that she began to read the letter.

_'I miss you..Hermione...  
I'm tired...It's suffocating...'_

They were quiet for a while, no one commented about the letter. Ron was starting to get really irritated at the possibility of Hermione having _someone else_ during their school days. Ginny was dumbfounded that she didn't know anything about Hermione at all, considering that they were like sisters and tell their secrets to each other. But this secret was unknown to her and it made Ginny wonder why and who it was that Hermione was so bent in protecting it. Draco however, kept his cool and was still focusing on different objects within the room to keep his mind diverted from the letter.

The silence was broken by a loud knock on the front door. Hermione jolted up and ran towards it, greeting whoever it was who came.

"You're _here?_" They heard her say.

"Yeah..I thought I'd drop by again." Was the reply.

Draco turned his head to the doorway because of the familiar voice and clenched his fists in anger. The footsteps grew louder as Hermione led the newcomer to the bedroom.

"_You!_" Caleb shouted to Draco. He lunged forward to him with much eagerness to give him a beating. Good thing Hermione pulled him back and Ron was fast enough to stand up and push him back. Ginny also stood and was about to get the wand from her pocket.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Caleb and felt that she had seen him before. She gripped her wand tighter, but Draco motioned for her to relax as he stood up and faced Caleb. He traced the bridge of his nose and said, "You've got one mean punch, I don't intend for a _low life_ like you to damage _my_ face again."

"Why you—!" Caleb yelled back.

"Malfoy!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Hey, stop it Malfoy!" Ron said while still trying to push Caleb away.

"Stop aggravating him, Draco!" Hermione shouted behind Caleb's back. But he was strong and bulkier than Ron, his features were like a wrestler. Clean cropped and shaved, his muscular form still showing even with the thick winter clothes. He pushed Hermione back causing her to fall and headbutted Ron who fell at the same time and was about to grab Draco's neck when Ginny suddenly exclaimed,

"_Stupefy!_" Her wand raised, directly pointing at Caleb's face. His body froze immediately and fell with a loud thud on the wooden floor.

"Caleb!" Hermione shrieked and crawled to his petrified body, "You _killed_ him!" She shouted at Ginny while her tears kept falling.

"Sorry, I...He was so big that I thought he'd really kill Malfoy..." Ginny explained, "..And he's not dead...just...stunned..." She kicked Draco's leg in disbelief, "It was your fault, _you_ angered him!"

He rolled his eyes at her, meaning, he doesn't care about a single damn thing about Caleb.

"Let's just put him somewhere, Hermione.." Ginny suggested, "The living room perhaps?"

She was still sobbing but more controlled now after Ginny had explained what she did. Draco and Ron carried Caleb's immobile body to the living room couch.

"I'm so sorry..." Ginny apologised again.

"What _was_ that?" Hermione asked not looking at her, but to the wand still in her hand.

"This?" Ginny asked raising her wand, "This is my wand, I received it when I was 11." She explained, and looked over at the boxes on the floor. Then the sudden realization hit her and she looked down more closely at the contents of the box. They had been rummaging it for a while now, but she had not seen an Ollivander's wand box yet. "Hermione...You have _one_, don't you?"

"A what?" She asked her back.

"It was stolen from you...but I knew it was retrieved..." Ginny murmured to herself as she tried to recall bits of what happened during the war and post war.

"...He retrieved it back for you..._He_ told me..."

"Who did, Ginny?" Hermione asked sounding more worried now that Ginny was acting all weird.

"He got it back for you..."

Her eyes widened as she looked to Hermione then to Draco and Ron who were just returning from the living room.

"Harry's got your wand!"


	7. Chapter 7 - Seven Years

Memorata Chapter 7

A/N: Thank you for the reviews as always! Yes the plot thickens and slowly all the truth will come out ;) I'm such a cliff hanger, but I kinda want you guys to get into the story and have your own conclusions for what to come. It's more interesting that way, right? ;)

Warning: This is an emotionally heavy chapter, if you're easy to cry, please prepare a tissue or handkerchief

Also, I'm doing a project of illustrating character profiles for each of my fics, Draco from _Love in the Ice_ is up and for those interested, you may visit my DA page, .com ;)

Disclaimer - Only the story will ever be mine

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**Chapter 7 - Seven years**

Darkness had enveloped the sky as night time came. Fewer people were on the streets making their way home from each side of the four point cross road. At the top of the street was an old church, its pointed tower stretching in the night sky. The cold breeze blew and a heavy downfall of snow came. Then, in front of the church, resounded a loud crack.

Harry came down the flight of stairs from the church's entrance and stood there for a while, scanning the area as he took in a deep breath. He clutched the items in his pocket and closed his eyes, trying to recall the last time he had been on this street, 'It's been four years...' He thought. He had not return to this place once...since that day.

He walked further down the street alongside a row of similar structured houses. There were Christmas decors everywhere, 'Right..it's almost Christmas.' He remembered that they have not yet set up the decorations in Grimmauld place. However, due to the circumstances now, he may not be able to celebrate the season quite happily, as the memories he tried to forget keep rushing back.

He reached his destination and gazed at the empty house in front of him. Harry felt a tight squeeze in his heart and almost came to crying when he stepped inside the gated yard.

It was much colder inside the house. Dust had covered the furniture and spider webs have now dominated the corners of the walls. The picture frames on the side tables in the the living room and those hanging on the walls were also covered in thick dust that one cannot determine the people in it anymore.

Harry went up the flight of stairs to the second floor. His ears were ringing from the silence inside the house and the strong breeze outside. He reached the end of the hallway were the door was left ajar. He stood in front of it, his feet frozen on the floor. He mustered all his strength to enter the room and say,

"I'm back...Hermione."

It was a total mess inside. Multitude of books were scattered, pages torn to small pieces, broken window glasses, broken picture frames, the duvet and comforter had been pulled away from the bed and the pillows were scattered on the floor. Harry walked in the middle of the room where the bed is and stopped to place his hand over a dried up blood stain.

-Flashback-

"Hermione?!" Harry shouted upon apparating in Hermione's house.

"Hermione?!" He called out to her again when she didn't respond.

It was at the end of June when Harry got a disturbing letter from Hermione and he immediately apparated upon it's receipt.

"Hermione!" He called as he open the door at the end of the hallway on the second floor and felt his knees gave way at the sight of her.

She was sitting at the edge of the bed with a razor on her right hand and blood was gushing through a freshly cut wound on her left wrist. He hurriedly took out the wand from his pocket and pointed to the open wound "_Vulnera Sanentur_," and it closed instantaneously, "_Tergeo_," he then casted to clean the blood from her hands.

"_What in the bloody hell are you doing, Hermione?!_" He shouted at her frantically.

She just sat there, her arms fallen to her sides, her gaze far ahead of her. Hermione's eyes were swollen and the tears have dried up on her face. Everything inside the room was a mess, including her.

Harry sat beside her and held her hands, "Hermione...I got your letter..I'm sorry..."

Upon hearing the words from him, Hermione wailed and sobbed hysterically, thrashing within his grip. "Harry, they're gone!" She cried, "They're gone! They killed them!"

Tears ran down his face as he embraced Hermione. He had no words to comfort her, he didn't know what to do in this situation. He thought for a second to get Ron before coming but Hermione specifically indicated for him to go alone.

"I can't do _this_ anymore, Harry!" She wailed, "It hurts so much! I can't— I want to die! _I want to die!_"

It was the first time he'd seen her like this. Hermione was always so strong and faced difficult challenges with confidence, but this time it's very different. The war was over, but not for her. Her parents were the only ones left for her, she loved them so much and she can't bear to have lost them.

"I managed to fight them off, but they...he..he escaped!" She cried again, "They're gone Harry..."

Hermione shuffled beside him and took out her wand to break it, "Hermione stop!" He exclaimed as he took it from her. It was her original wand which Harry was able to retrieve from the snatchers after the war. "What are you doing?!"

She grabbed his shoulders hard against her hands, the nails from her fingers dug through his shirt to his skin, he cringed a bit in pain. "Kill me, Harry! Please!" She begged him.

Harry pushed her away, "What?! Are _you_ out of your mind?!"

"Harry please..." She pleaded him again, "Please Harry...if you don't..I'll probably kill myself later anyway...!"

He was lightheaded. What she is asking him to do right now is unimaginable. It was like she's giving him no choice but to surrender to her desire for death. She was his friend and he loved her, she was his family too. But a Hermione in this state of desperation is way to hard for him to handle. He was torn now to make a decision he will regret with a decision that will set her free. "Hermione...I can't...please...don't..." He pleaded her too.

"Harry..." She looked at him, her face showed emptiness, "Please...as my _best friend..._"

He shut his eyes tightly and tears fell from them and his body trembled as he controlled his sobs. Harry stood in front of her and got his own wand. She smiled weakly at him and said, "Thank you, Harry..."

He raised the wand to her, looking away as he could stop any moment at the sight of her pleased face. He was breathing heavily and his heart raced as he tried to convince himself on doing what she wanted. He knew this would be the end of a great witch, the end of their friendship..for her. Everyone will remember her as the brightest witch of their time.

Harry's lips trembled as he began to utter the words, "_Ava.."_ He gasped for air as the sobs build up in his throat, "_Avada..._"

'_I can't do this..._' He thought, '_I just can't!_"

Hermione closed her eyes and smiled as she prepared to take the killing curse from Harry, but he was still in constant battle with himself.

Then, he thought, '_No..she doesn't need to die.._' His eyes shot open and was now full of determination as he turned to look at her. '_I'm sorry, Hermione..but I can't just kill you..._'

Harry gathered every bit of his emotion and pulled himself together. He focused his thoughts to the past seven years they'd been together, thinking how he'll miss being with her, how she'd reprimand them for being lazy at school, how she'd go crazy with new knowledge, how she had loved Ron, her parents, their friends...He'll miss her...so much...He smiled to her one last time and exclaimed the last spell she will ever hear.

"_Obliviate_"

-End of Flashback-

His own voice rang in his ears as the echo of the past flood his mind. Harry clenched his fist while holding the blood stained covers. "Hermione...Why did you have to come back..." He said in a low voice.

He just sat there on the bed, scanning the room with teary eyes. His heart was in pain as well as his mind. He had finally gotten back to his feet after what happened between him and Hermione. He thought that he had successfully hidden her from the wizarding world. But maybe fate has it's own way of doing things and whatever he did, what all just part of the its plan.

Harry contemplated over and over the past years if he should tell everyone what happened to Hermione. He was living a life of guilt all this time. If he hadn't done it, if they had consulted someone, if he had been strong enough to have protected her...There were so many '_ifs_' in his mind and he was on the brink of losing himself again.

'_...Harry..._' A voice echoed in his mind. It was Ginny. He saw her worried face and what she was thinking, her surroundings and the people around her. It was unfamiliar to him. But fearing that if he opened his mind for long, Ginny will then see into his own mind and locate where he was.

Harry had mastered '_Occlumency_' and he hadn't learned it for nothing. It was occasions like this that he needed it the most. He closed his mind, but Ginny was strong with her '_Legilimency_' as well.

'_Harry, stop blocking me!'_ Ginny shouted in his mind.

He had no choice. Harry disapparated from Hermione's house soon after Ginny's remark.

###############

"He's gone!" Ginny exclaimed.

They were all baffled. Ron and Draco just got back from the living room after carrying the stunned Caleb, only to hear from Ginny that Harry's got Hermione's wand.

"Well, were you able to trace him?" Ron asked.

She shook her head , "No...he was blocking me the whole time", she said, "I only saw fragments..."

Draco moved closer to Ginny and touched her shoulders, "Can I see?" She nodded in response as he backed away and took out his own wand, "_Legilimens_!" He exclaimed.

All that time, Hermione was the most confused of them all. First, she's seeing sorts of things, like Ginny stunning Caleb. Second, Ginny talking to a person named Harry without the use of a hand phone. And now, Draco is doing something again that she can't understand. For her, she knew only them this day and there is still this awkward feeling of asking them what in the world they are doing or explain what '_Legilimens_' even means, because she knew that it isn't found in the dictionary.

The only available one to talk to is Ron. But she recalled that Draco introduced him as her ex-boyfriend, so she really felt the awkwardness to him more. Hermione tried her best to look away from him as possible. Whenever he glances at her or talk to him, she really felt sorry for him and ashamed, because they had a relationship before..and only he remembered it. For her, it felt like stabbing him in the back, it was like having committed treason.

"Did you figure it out?" Ron asked them.

Draco shook his head in response. "Potter...that bastard..." He said, "kept blocking and replacing his thoughts. Even the fragments she saw was most likely, had been tampered with."

"Um..what do we do now?" Hermione asked, trying to get into the conversation with them.

Ginny moves closer to her and held her hand, "You should go meet with Harry." She said while looking at her intently.

Hermione nodded, "But..what about Caleb?"

Draco smirked, "He'll come around."

She gave him a weak smile. Hermione felt different towards him, even though he kept arguing with Caleb, she just can't get mad at him for long. "Alright," she said, "I'll go get the car running."

Hermione felt Ginny's arms hooking to hers as she smiled to herself, "No need for that."

"I guess were going _now_..huh?" She asked the trio and they nodded.

"To Grimmauld place." Ginny said.

Hermione smiled and gathered all her strength to prepare herself for what's to come. She was getting there. Closer to revealing her past and bringing back her memories. She felt excited and anxious at the same time, but she knew she had to do it. She must, for herself, her family, and these people who were her friends.

She closed her eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath before looking at each of them and smiled,

"Alright. To Grimmauld place it is."

Then the four of them disapparated from Hermione's flat with a loud crack.


	8. Chapter 8 - Body of Lies Part 1

A/N: OMG...it feels like I have updated ages ago..I'm so busy at work and business right now that I think I can only update every 2 weeks..T_T I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting..Thank you for the reviews and staying with the story. I'll really try my best to update as fast as I can.

The same goes for Love in the Ice and You Were Always the One..I knew I left with cliff hangers there, if some of the readers here are also reading my other two fics..please don't worry, I'll update them soon =)

Disclaimer: You know...

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**Chapter 8 - Body of Lies Part 1**

Hermione felt cramped, she couldn't see anything since she last grabbed Ginny's arm. She felt like being squeezed into a tiny hole and then suctioned out of it again, only to be twisted, turned and pushed from the sides afterwards, then the process starts all over again. It was only a brief moment but the experience she had seemed to have gone for ages. She looked at her arm reforming as they arrive with a loud crack in the living room of Grimmauld place.

"Are you alright, Granger?" Draco said while supporting Hermione.

"A little dizzy," She replied. Hermione looked around the room, it wasn't really what she was expecting, seeing Ginny were as bright and cheery as day. "Is this it?"

Ginny seemed to notice Hermione's curious gaze, "We have been busy these past few weeks that we forgot to decorate." She explained, "besides, you should see Malfoy's flat, it's way more boring."

Draco didn't respond to her sarcasm, as he was intent on looking for Harry. He started to walk towards the hallway, however, only to be surprised by Kreacher who was listening in on their conversation. Hermione took a step back upon the surprise in seeing an unfamiliar talking creature and almost bumped into Ron.

"Don't just appear like that! Geez!" He said to the elf, "Is Potter here?"

"Kreacher, it's alright, please tell us where Harry went." Ginny also encouraged the elf to listen to Draco.

"Kreacher does not know," said the elf, "He left after mistress left, master Harry has not come back since."

Ron sighed and sat on the couch, "We'll just wait for him," he said, "he'll come around soon."

Hermione looked at him and thought the same. Yes, Harry will come home eventually, he hasn't got anywhere to go now. Where else would he go on a Sunday?

She took a seat in a nearby couch and said, "It's alright, I'll wait."

Draco and Ginny looked at each other and saw that there's really no way of grilling Kreacher for an answer. He has been awfully loyal to Harry these years, he would not ever tell where he was, even if they torture him for it.

She asked Kreacher to bring them hot tea from the kitchen as she went on to light the fireplace. "_Incendio!"_ Ginny casted, then the wood instantly fired up, which immediately warmed the living room.

Hermione's eyes widened at the sight and Draco caught up to here surprise right away, "Weaslette, _don't_ just use magic all of a sudden," he said to Ginny, "Herm— Granger will get a heart attack, you know."

She turned to Hermione and smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry..it's just that...this is all...strange."

"Uuugggh!" Ron grunted as he vehemently scratched his head, "This is so frustrating!"

The fact that Harry concealed himself from them clearly makes them think that he was hiding something. He knew how Hermione became this way and they are already hell bent on finding out why.

They had already finished the tea Kreacher brought them and the silence in the room made them more uncomfortable. Had it not been for the ticking of the grandfather clock, the silence might have driven them all crazy.

"_How long_ do we have to wait?" Draco said as he looked at the clock, "It's already past nine."

He turned to Hermione who was currently fiddling her left ring finger. He only noticed now that she was wearing a silver band inlaid with small diamonds. '_Engagement ring?_' He wondered angrily. '_He doesn't deserve her._' Draco kept thinking how wrong this engagement with Caleb is. She is Hermione Granger for Merlin's sake, the brightest witch of their time! She should be marrying someone of her own standards, she should be with—

They heard a loud crack in the upstairs bedroom. Immediately, Draco, Ginny and Ron sprang to their feet and rushed towards the stairs. Hermione was left in the living room, she also stood when everyone heard the noise, but she found herself frozen on the floor. She really wanted to know the truth, but a sudden fear of learning it crept up to her. She was not really living a perfect life with Caleb because of the void in her heart, however, maybe not knowing the past was better for her...

Hermione looked at the engagement ring on her finger and felt a tight squeeze in her heart, _'I won't regret this...will I?_' She asked herself and held her hands over her heart, '_I'm sorry Caleb..._' Then with a new found determination, she started to walk towards the stairs.

In the bedroom, the trio have just cornered Harry upon his arrival. Draco had pressed him against the wall, his wand pointed at Harry's neck.

"That's too much, Malfoy!" Ginny yelled.

Ron was trying to pull him off of Harry, "How can we ask him in _that_ state?" He said to Draco, "Harry, don't try to run anymore, please..."

Draco was furious, but he released Harry after what Ron said. He turned his back on him and walked at the far end of the room to cool his head.

Harry fixed his shirt and sat on the edge of the bed. He did not look angry for what Draco did to him, nor the sudden interrogation this had been. He looked to Ginny who he knew was pleading him with her eyes, to tell them what's really going on. Ron was also doing the same thing, '_they're really siblings.._' he thought.

"Harry...please..." Ginny walked over to him and sat by his side while Ron leaned against the wall in front of them.

Harry sighed heavily and buried his face within the palm of his hands. His heart felt heavy all these years for hiding the truth from them. Explaining everything to them now would lift the burden of what he did, but he fears their would be reaction if they knew. '_I can't keep them in the dark further..._' He looked up to Ron and Ginny. He knew that they are gravely worried about Hermione and are curious to what happened to her. Then, he looked to Draco who was still cooling off in the corner, then, a sudden thought of why he was so concerned about Hermione crept in his mind. '_They weren't even friends..._' he thought, but none of that matter as of the moment, he would ask him in a later time.

Harry sat straight and gathered all his strength in preparation. He breathed in, closed his eyes, lowered his head and said, "I am sincerely sorry..."

Ginny's jaw dropped, Ron's eyes widened and Draco turned to look at him. He was not surprised by Harry's apology as he had been suspecting Harry all along. Only, Harry's confession made Draco want to ask why Harry even did it.

"I...I'm sorry...I did it 'cause _I_ thought it would protect her..." Tears ran down his face as the words came out if his mouth.

"To protect her? Did you think _erasing her memories_ helped her?!" Draco retorted angrily. "You could have called for someone, take her to St. Mungo's or...or encourage her that that was a wrong choice!"

"I...I...My mind was a blur that time too!" Harry defended himself, "For Merlin's sake, she was asking me to kill her!"

"_Kill her?!_" Ginny and Ron chorused.

She grabbed Harry's hands and asked, "Why? Why was she asking to be killed?!"

"She..." Harry hesitated and looked to the three of them.

"She what, Harry?" Ron pressed.

"She wanted me to kill her...because..." Harry buried his face in his hands once more, "because...her parents died..."

The three of them was dumbfounded and shocked by what Harry said. However, they all turned to look at the ajar door of the room as they heard a low voice said, "...died?"

The door creaked against the silence as Hermione slowly opened it. Her face was completely ashen and her eyes were wide and brimming with tears.

"..My parents...they're _dead?_" she asked to Harry.

Harry stood up immediately after Hermione spoke. He tried to open his mouth to explain, but he can't find the proper words to fill it in. He was happy to see Hermione again, he was overjoyed in his heart that she was alright. However, this reunion of them was not meant to he happy at all.

"Hermione...I..." Harry started.

Sobs were escaping her lips as she tried hard to hold it in. "_You're lying_...my parents aren't dead..." She said to him.

Hermione scanned the room and her eyes fell to Draco. She walked over to him, grabbed his hand and said, "Draco, my parents are alive. They are, really..."

He didn't answer. He had no answer for her, he didn't knew this part of her life and he felt ashamed about it. He felt sorry for her, however, he doesn't know what to believe anymore. Harry said they died, but she says her parents were alive. She even explained before that they decided to stay in Australia.

"Draco?" Hermione called out to him again, but he looked away. She let go of his hand and went over to Harry, Ron and Ginny. "He's lying...Harry's lying..." she said to them.

"'Mione..." Ron said in a low voice, "...we didn't know..." He too looked away as he tried to gather his thoughts.

"Ginny..."

"I'm sorry.." She said to Hermione.

She turned to Harry now, the tears were running down her cheeks, "...it can't be..." she said.

"Hermione...I'm sorry..." Harry pleaded again as he tried to move closer to her to comfort her. "I did it to...to protect you from getting hurt again.."

"You planted false memories of her being in Australia with her parents, Potter?" Draco said disgustingly after much evaluation. "_How many_ more lies have you implanted on her that day?!"

"That was it!" He said in his defense, "Only that they were staying in Australia before and her parents decided to stay there." He explained, "All of her memories of Hogwarts was replaced by that, nothing more, I swear!"

He looked to each of them sincerely and repeated, "I swear, that was all!"

"Stop it!" Hermione screamed. She had covered her ears to prevent from hearing what Harry did to her, "You're lying! They can't be dead!"

"Hermione..I'm sorry." He said, "I know it's hard to believe, considering I erased your memories. But believe me..please.."

She bit her lower lip as the sobs continued to escape. All of this is completely ridiculous to her. She strongly believe that Harry was lying, however, he looked to be not one at all. She's full of confusion right now, her mind was in a daze and her heart was racing like crazy.

"I...I don't believe you..I can't..." she said to him. "I know they're alive."

"Hermione...Harry would not lie about this..." Ginny said as she placed a hand over Hermione's left shoulder.

"No!" She exclaimed, "That can't be true..because...because I..."

Hermione looked to Draco, he was the only one she knew would believe her. She didn't know why, but she feels he would. She knew him first before the three of them, he talked to her and accepted her plea for help. He was the only one she can trust, seeing that Harry, Ron and Ginny were friends before, she assumed that if one lied, the others would back him up.

"Draco..I know they're alive...because last week...last week...I talked to them last week!" Hermione said.

"Impossible..." was all Harry could say upon hearing her. He didn't implant that on her memory and the fact that it was just recently done makes it more suspicious and as he said, 'impossible'. No one close to them knew where Hermione was and what happened to her, therefore, no one could have planted that memory on her.

"Harry?" Ginny looked to him for answers.

"No..that's impossible.." He replied, "I didn't do that.."

There was a moment of silence between them as they contemplated on what might have happened. However, as Harry had explained, he was the only one who knew what happened to her.

'_Malfoy was the first to see her...maybe he did it..but...he won't do that kind of thing..would he?_' Ginny asked herself. She was at her wits' end at analysing the situation. She looked to Harry and said, "If it isn't you...then...who was the one who gave her that memory?"


	9. Chapter 9 - Body of Lies Part 2

A/N: Thank you for the reviews guys! My busy weeks are slightly over and now I think I can upload chapters much faster. Please enjoy Body of Lies Part 2 and leave any reviews or comments, you know I love reading them ^_^. Story progression will be quite fast now as everything will soon be revealed, stay with the story 'til then. Thanks again! ^_^

Disclaimer: HP is not mine

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**Chapter 9 - Body of Lies Part 2**

Silence.

There was pure silence in the room after Hermione reasoned out to them why she knows her parents are not dead.

Harry stared down on the floor in deep thought. Ginny was looking at him for further answers, Ron was irritated and sat on the floor, his face buried in his hands. Malfoy was bow leaning against the wall, eyes closed, his hand on his forehead. Hermione was focused on the shaking of her hands and the rapid bearing of her heart.

She was so confused, scared and angry. She thought coming to Grimmauld place would help her, but it turned out that the friend she had, had been lying to her and made her what she is today. It seemed to her that she couldn't trust anyone anymore.

Hermione looked to Harry again, her brows furrowed in anger, "I really don't believe you." Then she turned to Draco and said, "Draco, could you _please_ take me home?"

Draco was surprised that Hermione asked him to take her home. Clearly, after what Harry revealed, she's less than willing to give any trust to them. Maybe she also picked him because Ron said before that he was not part of their circle of friends and that he belonged to another house.

"Alright.." He replied.

Ginny looked worriedly at Hermione but said nothing, because she knew that forcing her right now will only do further damage and there are a lot of things she needed to clear with Harry above anything else.

"Hermione..." Ginny said before Draco held Hermione's arm to apparate. "..We'll see you soon..alright?"

Hermione only smiled to her weakly and grabbed Draco's arm. Then, they disapparated with a loud crack.

"So.._what now_, Harry?" Ron asked as soon as the two left. He didn't know what to say earlier to break the ice. He was as confused as Hermione and was left dumbfounded than most of the others.

"I honestly don't know..." Harry replied, "It was a shock, what she said. I didn't put that memory in her mind.."

Ginny sat beside him and crossed her arms over her chest. She furrowed her brows in thought of what my might have happened, but as Harry explained earlier that no one else knew Hermione had been '_Obliviated_', who could have placed another memory charm on her?

"Do you think someone else knew about what you did? Are you really sure you haven't told anyone?" She asked Harry.

"No, I swear!" He exclaimed, "It's just what I've said, nothing more..."

Ron scratched his head in frustration, "Ugh! I hate this! What in the bloody hell is happening?!" he shouted.

Harry clenched his fists. He felt guilty enough for having erased Hermione's memories, but now, he felt worse now that he's placed her in a fragile situation.

"Maybe..maybe her parent's are really alive?" Ginny suddenly asked, hoping that the two of them would take it into consideration.

"No, that's impossible.." Harry said.

"Are you _for sure_, really?" Ron asked too.

Harry nodded and looked up to him and said, "Yeah, I'm _sure_. Because I dug up a grave for them."

###############

It was past ten when Harry, Ron and Ginny arrived in the snow covered streets of Godric's hollow. The snow had stopped falling, making it easier for them to traverse the cold deserted street. Harry led them to the St. Clementine Parish Church, where, behind it was the village's cemetery was located. It was the same cemetery where his parents are buried.

They passed rows and rows of gravestones, both for muggles and wizards alike. The wizarding family gravestones can be only noticeable by their kind so as to prevent muggles from being too curious. At some seemingly occupied location within the rows of gravestones, Harry stopped and pointed his wand in between the stones and casted a revealing charm. The two gravestones parted to reveal one other in between them. Etched on it was the family name, '_Granger_'.

Ginny clasped her hands over her mouth as tears brimmed her eyes. Ron bit his lower lip while he tried to maintain his composure. Harry knelt down and wiped the snow covered top of the gravestone and charmed for a wreath of white Ecuadorian roses.

Etched below the Granger family name was,

_'Here lies, Mr. and Mrs. Granger. Died on June 27, 1998. Gone, but never forgotten.'_

It was ironic because their only child was charmed to forget them, it was a painful sight.

"I'm sorry..Mr. and Mrs. Granger..Hermione wasn't able to come this year as well." Harry said upon the gravestone.

The tears from Ginny's eyes reached their volume and fell down her cheeks. She sobbed in Ron's embrace as he in turn forced back his own tears.

"Harry..If we show _this_ to Hermione..." Ron started, "...will she then, believe you?" he asked.

He shook his head and said in response, "I don't know. She might think I'm playing with her mind again. Right now, I'm afraid she's lost in what's real and what's not, that If I try to push the explanation to her, she'll just move farther away from us."

"..But—"

"However, it seems that she formed a trust with Draco and for now, we should try to maintain that." Harry continued. He then stood and walked to his parents' grave to let Ginny and Ron mourn for Hermione's parents.

###############

Meanwhile, Draco and Hermione apparated successfully back to her flat. She started to walk ahead of Draco and he in turn looked at her lonely figure in front of him. He can't even imagine what kind of pain she is going through now. It breaks his heart seeing the Hermione he knew like this..slowly falling apart.

If only he could do anything that would bring her memories back in a way that she'll avoid having to deal the pain to get it, was all in his mind. But he knew there was no other way.

Hermione fumbled for her keys as she stood in front of the door. The flat was dark as they left the place in a hurry and she forgot to leave some light on. As she got the keys, she stuck it into the knob and was surprised that it was open.

"What?" Draco asked upon seeing her expression change.

She eased herself and replied, "Nothing, I thought I locked the door. But recalling it now, I wasn't able to before."

She turned the knob and opened the door. Upon doing so, from the darkness, they heard shuffling noises. Draco grabbed Hermione by the waist to stop her from going inside. "Wait here." He said.

"What was _that_? A robber?" She asked him worriedly.

Draco shushed her and took out his wand. He stood there in the doorway, wand at the ready. He squinted his eyes against the darkness as he tried to clear his vision. "Who's there?!" He called out, however, no one answered.

Out of the left corner of his eyes as they adjusted to the darkness, a figure swiftly moved across and in front of him. He immediately pointed his wand at the figure and was about to cast a stunning spell when he suddenly saw a streak of red light and he was flung backwards on the pavement.

"Draco!" Hermione screamed as his body went past her. She was to run to his aid, however, a hand began to pull back her hair and the pain seethed through her scalp. "Let go of me!" She shouted.

The tall figure titled its head and caressed Hermione's face with its nose, sniffing her skin as he reached her ears. "I missed you, Hermione." The deep male voice grunted in her ear. Shivers went down her spine. She felt like she knew the voice, but she can't remember where she heard it.

He started to lick her neckline and she felt tears run down her face as he did, "Please, _let me go!"_ She begged him.

"No one will hear you, even if you scream." He said to her mockingly.

She looked at Draco who was now recovering and staggering to get up.

"Draco!" Hermione called out to him again in desperation, "Draco, help me! _Draco!_"

He immediately looked up and his eyes widened with surprise and anger. His heart began to race fast and his hands gripped his wand tighter as he stood.

"Rookwood!" He shouted.

Draco can barely see him in the darkness, but some light touched a part of his face as he rested it on Hermione's neckline.

"You bastard! Let go of her!"

Rookwood smirked. He let go of Hermione's hair but swiftly lifted her body over his shoulders. He raised his eyebrow to Draco.

"Why would I do that, Draco." He said to him smugly. "Why would I do that, when, she is to be _my wife?_"

Hermione and Draco's mouths fell open with shock. For a second there, they tried to comprehend what he just said.

"Wha—what do you mean..? I...I don't know you!" Hermione shouted. She tried to wiggle herself out of his arms but he was so strong for her.

Draco mind was trying to rationalize everything. His anger was boiling inside of him.

"It was lucky of me to have _found_ you, my love." Rookwood mockingly said to Hermione. "I was surprised myself, actually, when I first saw you again, three years ago" He laughed and glared at Draco. "I was like, _what in the bloody hell was that girl doing with a muggle man?_

"Then I started to follow you around and you don't know the surprise and disappointment I felt when I realized that you've lost your memories!

"It sparked an interest in me and I thought, _what a perfect way is this to get my revenge on this filthy mudblood, who made my face like this!_" He shouted angrily and moved out into the open.

His left face was heavily burned and as if it had melted. Draco cringed at the sight of him.

"I then thought, I needed a way to get to you. I needed to make you pay. Therefore, I _killed_ your little muggle boyfriend."

Hermione gasped, "No...No...No!"

Rookwood laughed, "Oh yes..yes I did, my love. But before turning him completely into dust, I made sure that I stock up on him well."

"You concocted polyjuice to _lure_ her..." Draco said as he gritted his teeth.

"You are ever so brilliant, Draco." He said, "That's why the dark lord assigned you to get us in to Hogwarts using the twin cabinets." He licked his lips and glared at Draco, "But that wasn't nice of you, to have _betrayed_ us."

Draco was reaching his limit on how much more he could hear of Rookwood's explanation. His body was trembling with anger.

"It was quite spectacular, seeing her sleep, having dinner with her, having to go on dates, and most especially..the taste of her soft sweet luscious lips." Rookwood laughed again. Hermione's tears kept falling and her heart was tightening because of the pain of being betrayed and fooled all these years. She felt disgusted to have given almost everything to this man.

Draco's grip on his wand tightened as he swiftly exclaimed, "_Expelliarmus!_" However, Rookwood blocked the spell and it bounced on a nearby mail box, sending to smitherins.

"You are so impatient, Draco." He clicked his tongue. "Auror training must have been intense, huh."

"Damn you..." Draco grunted.

"Sorry for you, I saw her first." Rookwood said as he held Hermione tightly. "Well then, my love and I, will now _take our leave._"

"No!" Hermione screamed.

"_Stop!_ Rookwood!" Draco yelled as they disapprated. Hermione's screams echoed in his ears. He began to sob from where he stood. "Hermione..."


End file.
